Since September, the new reinforcement of the Entrepreneurship Fund III has been implemented (TEPEX Iii), with the allocation of an additional 240m euros, to meet the explosive demand for low -profile loans from small and medium -sized enterprises (Media).
The new budget is exclusively for the loan side and is added to the two previous PHS of SMEs through the TEPIX loan fund, which had already been exhausted by the thousands of applications submitted in the past months.
The TEPIX III program, implemented through the Hellenic Development Bank (HDB), has managed to mobilize liquidity of approximately € 1.8 billion since its launch, with 6,861 loans already approved and disbursed.
With the new package, the total contribution of the loan fund is expected to exceed 2.5 billion euros, while the overall footprint of the program (along with the guarantees) is estimated to reach 3.3 billion euros in the real economy.
Demand for small and medium -sized enterprises remains strong, with a large proportion of applications concerning very small or start -up companies that cover almost 45% of applications.
The terms of funding remain extremely favorable. 40% of the loan is covered by public resources and is interest -free, while the remaining 60% is granted by affiliated banks, at an interest rate subsidized by 3% for the first two years (or 2% in areas such as Attica and the South Aegean).
The subsidy concerns both investment and capital loans, while some categories of businesses also provide recycled credit. The total repayment duration can reach 12 years for investment loans, with the possibility of a grace period of up to 24 months.
The new phase of the program is expected to officially open in September, with businesses applying through affiliated banks and HDB’s online platform.
The Ministry of Finance appears willing to continue to strengthen the tool in 2026, in the context of the broader SME strategy through combined financial tools by the NSRF, the recovery fund and the national development program.